1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toy vehicles, and more particularly to self propelled battery operated toy vehicles. More specifically the invention relates to a brake assembly for such toy vehicles.
2. Background Information
Self propelled battery powered toy vehicles are well known. Typically, however, they are only adapted to a single type of operation, for example to propel themselves across a surface in a straight line. Children have a short attention span and soon loose interest in these toys. There have been trends to try and imitate real vehicles or to create more imaginative toy vehicles that stimulate greater interest.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a brake assembly for a toy vehicle that produces interesting action and can retain the interest of a user. It is a further object of the invention to at least ameliorate the above-mentioned problems or to provide the public with a useful alternative.
A brake assembly for a toy vehicle includes first and second wheel assemblies, a cam rotatable with the first wheel assembly, and a brake member activatable by the cam to engage the second wheel assembly. The first wheel assembly is fixedly disposed at a first end of an axle member and the second wheel assembly is rotatably disposed at a second end of the axle member, the cam is driven from the axle member by a gear assembly.
Preferably, the gear assembly includes first and second orthogonal gear members. A shaft member is disposed orthogonal to the axle, the cam and second gear member are fixedly mounted on the shaft and the first gear member is fixedly mounted on the axle.
More preferably, the shaft is pivotally mounted and movable between a first position in which the first and second gear members are engaged and a second position in which the first and second gear members are disengaged.
Preferably, the brake member is a biased pin in sliding contact with the cam at its first end and adapted to engage the second wheel assembly at its second end. The second wheel assembly may include a plurality of apertures for receiving the second end of the pin.
A toy vehicle includes a body member including a chassis. A first control arm assembly is pivotally mounted to the body at its first end and has at least one suspension strut at its second end. A drive axle is rotatably mounted with the first control arm assembly and bears first and second wheel assemblies. A drive member is in communication with the drive axle for propelling the toy vehicle across a surface. There is a second control arm assembly pivotally mounted to the body at a first end and having at least one suspension member at its second end. A brake axle is rotatably mounted with the second control arm assembly and bears third and forth wheel assemblies. They toy vehicle also includes a brake assembly as hereinbefore defined. Preferably, the brake axle is the front axle of the toy vehicle.
Further aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description, which is given by way of example only.